Archive for December, 2009

The Vast Majority of the U.S. now requires a 3 year rabies vaccine for dogs. Just a decade or so, most counties and municipalities had an annual rabies requirement. But thanks to work by The Rabies Challenge Fund and other organizations, rabies vaccines have been shown to be effective for at least 3 years. There is evidence, but not yet conclusive studies, that these vaccines may be good for as much as seven years, or even longer. The Rabies Challenge Fund is working on a study. In the meantime, they are lobbying the remaining holdouts who don’t yet have a three year vaccine program. Here is some updated information:

ARKANSAS 3 Year Rabies Law Effective 1/1/10

Updated Rabies Control Act Allows Longer Vaccination Intervals http://www.todaysthv.com/news/local/story.aspx?storyid=95265&catid=2 “The updated Rabies Control Act has new rules passed by the State Board of Health that allow for a longer interval between rabies vaccinations for dogs and cats. The new rules will become effective January 1, 2010. If a three-year vaccine is chosen, the pet will be required to be revaccinated three years later.”

RHODE ISLAND 3 Year Rabies Regulations

At the end of April 2009, Rhode Island’s Rabies Control Board approved a change to allow for a 3 year protocol, yet no date has been set for it to become effective. Concerned pet owners should contact their legislators http://www.rilin.state.ri.us/ and the Chair of the Board, State Veterinarian Dr. Scott Marshall at 401-222-2781 scott.marshall@DEM.RI.GOV to insist this policy change is instituted.

RHODE ISLAND – Board OKs Change in Rabies Policy Providence Journal News Digest May 1, 2009 http://www.projo.com/news/content/news_digest_01_05-01-09_5KE7P0O_v4.38640bf.html “PROVIDENCE –– The Rhode Island Rabies Control Board has approved a change in policy that could pave the way for regulations that will allow the vaccination of dogs and cats every three years, rather than every two years. ”

Author Jan Rasmusen has organized a vaccine seminar to be held in San Diego, California on March 28, 2010 to benefit The Rabies Challenge Fund. World-renowned veterinary vaccine research scientists, Drs. W. Jean Dodds and Ronald Schultz, will be the featured speakers at this all-day event. Detailed information on the seminar can be found at http://www.petseminar.org/ .

Third Year of Rabies Challenge Studies Begin

Thanks to generous contributions from pet lovers, The Rabies Challenge Fund was able to raise the funds needed to begin the 3rd year of research at the University of Wisconsin School of Veterinary Medicine in November. The current challenge is to collect $150,000 per year to cover the estimated costs of Years 4-7 to complete the studies.

A bill passed this week by the Arizona legislature will lead ultimately to the closure of all state parks, according to the Arizona State Parks Foundation, including those along the Colorado River such as Buckskin Mountain, River Island, Cattail Cove and Windsor Beach.

The bill cuts more than $9 million of Parks funds, leaving the agency with only about $10 million in its 2010 budget. That’s less than 30 percent of the parks normal funding and not enough to continue park operations beyond this fiscal year.

Arizona Governor Jan Brewer and the Arizona legislature are seeking $205 million in cuts to mitigate a deficit estimated to be $1.5 billion. The Foundation says the proposed cuts to State Parks would provide just 4 percent of their goal, while shutting down the Parks’ annual contribution to the Arizona economy of more than $266 million.

The cuts will force major reductions in Parks staff and closure of more than half of the State’s 30 parks this fiscal year. The resulting loss of Park revenue is projected to leave the Parks System with no money to start the next fiscal year, July 1, 2010. The next step would be to shut down the entire system and dispose of Parks properties, returning most of them to their original owners.

Richard Gere stars in the upcoming movie Hachiko: A Dog’s Tale released in the U.S this week. The story about a professor and his loyal Akita dog Hachi was adapted from a true story about a Japanese professor whose dog faithfully waited for him every evening at the train station even after his death. However, few people know that after WWII only a handful of Akita dogs were left in Japan, and that one man, Morie Sawataishi, single handedly revived the four-thousand-year-old breed and saved it from extinction. Martha Sherrill tells his story in DOG MAN: An Uncommon Life on a Faraway Mountain (Riverhead Trade Paperback).The highly researched and richly narrated story of Morie and his Akitas would be a great supplement to any piece on the movie!

DOG MAN is an extremely moving account of one man’s passion for his family, his land, his culture, and his dogs. In strengthening the Akita breed, Morie revived a cultural symbol in Japan. The Akita once plentiful and revered in Japan as a symbol of loyalty and pride became widely popular once again, sometimes selling for millions of yen. And Morie became a revered figure in the snow country of Japan- a peaceful man, a mountain man, a dog man.